The Houston Rockets made one of the most surprising moves of the offseason to acquire Russell Westbrook in a trade, and fans and analysts have been debating for months whether James Harden and Westbrook can effectively coexist in the Rockets’ backcourt. Harden and Westbrook played together in Oklahoma City, of course, but they’ve since evolved into the two most ball-dominant players in the league.
Houston got off to a strong start in their season-opener on Thursday night and led the Milwaukee Bucks by 16 points at halftime. Harden was quiet from the field, making just two of six attempts, but went a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line in 17 minutes. Westbrook, meanwhile, stuffed the stat sheet in multiple categories in typical Westbrook fashion, finishing the half with five points, seven rebounds and six assists.
There was a flashpoint between the two superstars early on, however, as Harden became animated as he appeared to address an apparent miscommunication on the floor.
It’s going to take a while for Harden and Westbrook to fully gel on the floor, and the short clip was likely just some healthy communication in heat of the moment – but that didn’t stop some NBA fans from rooting for drama.
